anderson@uwvax.ARPA (05/11/84)
<> > The "equal tempered" scale does NOT have equal intervals > between all notes - there are slight differences which affect the "mood" > of the piece; they are not normally noticed, because they are very small. > "Equal tempering" refers to the ability to play in all keys using only > 12 notes per octave - the differences among the many keys are averaged out > so that all keys sound "equally (slightly) bad, rather than having some keys > sound great, and other keys sound terrible. > Tom Roberts My understanding of the equal tempered scale is that the ratio of the frequencies of consecutive notes is the 12th root of two, hence the "equal". An ideally tuned piano deviates from equal temperment only in slightly "stretching" all intervals. This is because the overtones of a vibrating string are slightly higher than the integer ratios, due to the stiffness of the string, and the piano sounds better if the tuning of the octaves matches the first harmonic. If there is a tuning difference between different keys it is a quirk of the tuner -- the books I have read on piano tuning all present only the stretched equal temperment described above. New topic: what experiences have people had with different brands of upright pianos? David Anderson (wisc-rsch!anderson)
lincoln@eosp1.UUCP (Dick Lincoln) (05/11/84)
> New topic: what experiences have people had with different brands > of upright pianos? If you can find a 20-30 year old Steinway in good condition, snap it up quick!